"In Wright fight, paper airplanes fly"

Friday, July 22, 2005

In Wright fight, paper airplanes fly 
Lawmakers discuss bills to close airports as Love Field debate widens 
By SUDEEP REDDY and SUZANNE MARTA
The Dallas (TX) Morning News 


The debate over long-haul flights at Dallas Love Field took on the tone of a
food fight Thursday. 

Rep. Joe Barton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said
that if Southwest Airlines Co. keeps fighting for repeal of the
restrictions, he would join the effort to close Love to commercial flights. 

"If they insist on trying to have their cake and eat it, too," the Ennis
Republican said, "I will, at the appropriate time, be very active in doing
everything possible just to shut Love Field down to commercial air traffic,
which was the original deal 30 years ago." 

Southwest should "go head to head with everybody else" at Dallas/Fort Worth
International Airport instead of trying to change the law, Mr. Barton said
in an interview Thursday. 

In a "lighthearted swipe," Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, who proposed the
House bill to lift the Wright amendment in May, offered another bill called
the "What's Love Got to Do With It Act." 

It would end commercial flights at Des Moines International Airport and
Tulsa International Airport, in the home states of the two sponsors of a
Senate bill that seeks to close Love to Southwest and other airlines. 

The measure would take effect only if the legislation filed Tuesday to close
Love from Sens. James Inhofe, R-Okla., and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, became law. 

Mr. Hensarling said he filed Thursday's counter-bill simply to make a point.
The city of Dallas owns Love Field and could shut it down, he said, but
Congress "should not be in that business." 

"It is a very important principle," he said. "Congress should not be willing
to choose winners or losers." 

Mr. Hensarling said he had 29 House co-sponsors for his bill to repeal the
flight rules, which limit commercial flights from Love Field to routes
within Texas and seven nearby states. 

Similar legislation in the Senate from John Ensign, R-Nev., has the support
of heavyweight co-sponsors John McCain, R-Ariz., Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and
Joe Lieberman, D-Conn. 

Mr. Barton's stance puts him at odds with his close Texas ally, Republican
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. 

Mr. DeLay said this week that he would support repealing the amendment
because it "interferes with free-market principles." But he said he'd let
the issue play out among the North Texas delegation. 

Mr. Barton said that Love Field faces constraints to its traffic, gates and
boundaries that would lead to its eventual closure if the airport were
opened up now. 

As chair of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Barton said, he
could pursue changes to Love's operations through federal jurisdiction over
emissions, noise levels and traffic safety at airports. 

"I love American Airlines, and I love Southwest, but I want our region to
continue to grow economically," he said. "The engine that drives that is
D/FW. It is not Love Field. Love Field - it has no ability to become a major
airport." 

Southwest's rebuttal 

Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart called Mr. Barton's position "unfortunate." 

"Our main fight continues to be against high fares to and from North Texas,
and our ultimate goal can only be accomplished by getting rid of the Wright
amendment," Mr. Stewart said. 

Southwest has rejected the call to move to D/FW, saying it couldn't compete
effectively there against American, the world's largest airline. 

Fort Worth-based American stopped short of supporting closure of Love Field
to commercial service but welcomed a broadening of the debate over service
at the city airport. 

"It's as valid to explore closing Love Field as it is to explore opening
Love Field," said American spokesman Tim Wagner. 

"Rather than start in the middle of something with a very complicated past
and history," he said, "why not start in the beginning with the intentions
of the communities to consolidate all commercial air service in North Texas
at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport?" 

Staying neutral 

The Love Field Citizens Action Committee has limited its involvement to
supporting the Wright amendment. 

"We think that represents maintaining balance," said Pat White, the group's
co-chair, adding that closing Love Field was an effort that would "not be
productive for us to be in." 

A spokesman for Continental Airlines, which has 13 daily flights from Love
Field, said the Houston-based carrier had no position on any Wright-related
proposals. 

Officials from D/FW declined to comment on Mr. Barton's stance.


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